


When It Rains

by discs



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: First Meetings, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mutual Pining, No Smut, Sharing a Bed, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-18 15:29:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28620333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/discs/pseuds/discs
Summary: Post-breakup Dan is a slight - ok a huge - emotional mess, but it's during a breakdown when he sees a figure hunched against a tire outside in the downpour.He knew that bringing the poor stranger inside was a ridiculous idea, but something inside him yearned for the adventure he was about to face.
Relationships: Dan Howell/Phil Lester
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	When It Rains

Rain steadily fell down the window where a tear-stained cheek rested. No stars were in sight as ashy clouds covered them, releasing autumn showers onto the dismal city below.

Dan's back ached as he continued sobbing in his hunched over position, cold legs curled in towards his chest as he wept into his knees, allowing the events of the day to wash over him.

'Wash over' was an understatement, it was more of a drench as he let every ounce of pain consume his thoughts until he was nothing but a heaving mess of rosy cheeks and blurry eyes.

They had been together for one year, two months and five days.

The breakup didn’t shock him - it had been coming for months, looming over Dan’s head like his own personal raincloud. Work had swept up their time together, tugged on their relationship until it tore in two; it had been hanging by a thread for longer than he could remember.

Nights had been spent with Dan staring longingly at the other man, praying to no one in particular that something could hold them together again, any way for them to just have a conversation again; the thread was wearing thin. If they pretended nothing was wrong then the snap could never happen.

He had been willing to ignore it, fill out the ‘perfect stay-at-home housewife role’ and do nothing but cook and yearn for affection, but he knew deep down it wasn’t going to last.

The final weeks had been spent tip-toeing around each other, a breakup was on the horizon but neither were quite brave enough to initiate it; barely muttering a 'good morning' in fear of ending it all.

As much as Dan hated the circumstance, he craved the security it came with. To him, an unhappy relationship was miles better than no relationship at all, he’d rather die unhappy than alone. It hadn’t been an ideal situation, but it was one he had grown familiar with, he’d accepted the inevitable.

The tension had just built and built, up until that morning.

Conner was heading to work, Dan had sighed just a little to loudly, and after some brief yelling it was over. Just like that.

Dan left alone with two empty mugs on the counter beside him, and one empty heart in his chest.

Twelve hours later and that same Dan was struggling to move off the floor. After the initial shock he had sunk, a sobbing lump with an aching neck and a desperate, desperate need for comfort he hadn’t had in months.

Guilt consumed him. While it wasn't exactly his fault if his boyfriend no longer loved him, he was the one who put on the mask. He was the one who pretended he couldn't see that they were falling apart; for all he knew Conner could have tried speaking to him, tried to let him down gently, only to be shut out by Dan’s instinctive need of self-preservation.

A car alarm on the street below snapped him back to reality.

The rain was still hammering at the glass he leaned against, the sun had disappeared as the evening drew to a close, plunging the apartment into a darkness Dan hadn’t even noticed. Shouts could be heard from the bar down the street and the car alarm continued to echo through the walls.

He should probably get up.

Standing was a lot more effort than anticipated, but with the promise of a hot shower he just about managed to stumble towards the lights, squinting as his eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness. His legs felt like static as he continued his wobbly quest to the bathroom, only easing up when he was under the warm water.

Even with the deafening sound of water hitting the floor, that damn car alarm rang in his ears; perhaps, it was a reminder that although he could find peace in sleeping and showers, some of the harsh outside world would always creep through, or maybe someone just needed to use their fucking keys so he could mope in peace.

He was warm now at least, after washing the pain of the day down the drain he wrapped himself up in a warm towel, put on the comfiest hoodie and sweats he could find and sought out something to eat. He figured pasta was a good choice for comfort, and with a hot bowl in his lap he flopped onto the sofa, starting up whatever sitcom he could find to half pay attention to.

Ice cream would probably make him feel better if he trusted his vast knowledge of shitty romcoms, but going to the store across from his apartment building required effort, and getting up from by the window had drained any energy he had. Besides, he was cosy now, despite the car alarm that still somehow echoed through the streets.

Dan glanced at his oven - 22:46. It had been almost half an hour since he left his pool of sadness and actually began to function again, the entire time that car alarm had been drilling into his brain. He had half a mind to go and knock on each individual apartment door just to make it stop, but he wasn’t sure the social interaction was worth it.

Episode after episode played for what felt like hours, his empty bowl now on the coffee table as Dan cried some more. This time wasn’t as intense as the last - just small sniffles into the sofa cushion, his voice was already hoarse and he could tell it would probably be gone by morning.

The moment two characters on the screen in front of him kissed he shut the tv off. For a little while he just wanted to exist in a world where romance didn’t exist, and heartbreak didn’t either.

He barely even noticed until he was putting his bowl in the sink and shutting the curtains to head off to bead that the bloody car alarm was still ringing. Its lights were flashing, orange and yellow dancing in the reflection of his window, Dan’s eyes burned but he noticed something strange by the tire.

There was a figure, hunched over not unlike how Dan was a few hours prior, leaning against the car with their head in their hands.

He wasn’t sure how long they had been there but it was safe to assume it had been a while. No one else was in sight except for the bar in the distance and the occasional taxi that drove past, chances were that person was a drunk, or homeless, or both.

Dan, although not the most socially inept, wasn’t a stupid guy. He was very aware of the danger that trying to help that person would put him in, but something in the back of his mind told him that something was wrong.

Maybe it was the way the stranger seemed to be shaking, the lack of people around to help them, or just the numbness Dan felt from being alone again that prevented him from giving a fuck; all he knew was his day had been shit, but he had the opportunity to potentially help someone else’s.

The oven clock shone 23:50, and although disgruntled from the thought of going out in the rain when he could be crying his eyes out in a warm bed, he grabbed his phone and keys. Slipping on some trainers and heading out of the door before he allowed himself to think about his actions too much.

That bloody car alarm was going to get him killed.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, 
> 
> I had already posted this chapter, but I noticed some typos while re-reading and thought I'd post it again now. Chapter 2 should be out early this weekend! 
> 
> Hope you're having a wonderful day :)
> 
> \- Discs


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